Meet the selectmen candidates

EXETER — Five candidates are seeking two spots on the Exeter Board of Selectmen. Incumbents Frank Ferraro and Matt Quandt are being challenged by Nancy Belanger, Christina Hardy and Anne Surman.

EXETER — Five candidates are seeking two spots on the Exeter Board of Selectmen. Incumbents Frank Ferraro and Matt Quandt are being challenged by Nancy Belanger, Christina Hardy and Anne Surman.

Question 3: What do you think Exeter can do better to attract businesses to town and increase its commercial tax base?

Nancy Belanger

Age: 51

Address: 2 Phinney Lane

Occupation: Paralegal

Education: College (2+ years)

Public service/public office experience:

I served on the Exeter Crimeline for several years, and on the Cable TV Committee. Most recently, I served on the Budget Recommendations Committee. My serving on this committee provided me with a more inside understanding of town government and was a wonderful and rewarding experience.

I believe in, and am very excited about, the newly formed position of economic development director. Exeter is a wonderful town with an opportunity to attract new businesses while maintaining those businesses already here. This is an exciting time for our town.

Bachelor of Science Degree Chemical Engineering - University of Oklahoma

Masters of Business Administration Degree - Kent State University

Public service/public office experience:

For the past three years, I have been proud to serve the people of Exeter as your selectman. I have also served as the selectman's representative to the Water & Sewer Advisory Committee where I worked with other committee members to provide oversight to the town's water and sewer operations. During my tenure on the committee for the past three years, there have been no increases in water or sewer rates. I also serve as the selectmen's representative to the Planning Board where I work with the other Planning Board members to review and approve applications for new developments and modifications of existing developments and the review of existing and new regulatory changes.

We need to get all Exeter boards and commissions on the same page. The Board of Selectmen made a start at this in 2013 by having an "all-boards" meeting. It was a good start, but it was abundantly clear that we are all not working in the same direction. We need to change this culture. We must ensure that future development and growth complies with our laws and regulations, but we must also minimize the substitution of subjective opinions for the objective aspects of our rules. We must fairly and objectively enforce the conditions contained in those approvals, giving developers certainty that once they have an approval, they can proceed as long as they comply with the conditions of approval. I know some feel that we need an economic development director. I disagree. Adding staff at this time is not the solution and will just further raise taxes.

Christina Hardy

Age: 53

Address: 5 Sterling Hill Lane #538

Occupation: Tae Kwon Do instructor

Education: Graduated High School at 16; Master Instructor in Tae Kwon Do; Legal Secretary 20 years

Public service/public office experience:

None

I think we need to interview business managers that have left to find out why.

We need to address signage and review town regulations.

Commercial property taxes are too high so we need to find alternatives.

Public service/public office experience: 12 years as a N.H. Legislator, 12 Rockingham County Delegation, 6 years as your selectman.

We have already started in this direction by starting the Economic Development Commission, bringing tax incentive programs such as RSA 79-E, which is a tax incentive and investment opportunity for the business owners, to the town ballot. We also need to review our zoning ordinances and regulations, and compare them to other towns to make sure we do not have any issues that may deter businesses from looking to locate in Exeter. Exeter needs to maintain a high level of services, quality education, day care and work to keep our taxes as competitive as we can in comparison to other communities. These are all factors that make Exeter attractive for businesses.

We need to start by looking at our zoning regulations. Towns around us are attracting new and vibrant businesses and retaining them. Why? Why aren't these companies coming to Exeter? Or have they tried and found our regulations too daunting and hard to work with? I don't have the answers, but I have seen over the past 10 years how our Epping and Stratham, Hampton and Greenland neighbors have attracted new commercial entities. Exeter should be the place that attracts larger businesses. I would work with our town planning department as well as the Economic Development Commission and the Chamber of Commerce to see where the problems are and how best to become the town that welcomes new enterprises.

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